August 6, 2008

Surgery numbers increasing at HRMC

The number of surgeries performed at Haywood Regional Medical Center has steadily increased, and that is good news for the hospital.

HRMC was limited in providing surgeries and other services from the end of February until nearly the end of May, after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid terminated its contract with the hospital and subsequently private insurance providers did likewise. The contract was reinstated May 22, with a new provider number awarded to HRMC on June 6.

“We just had to stay busy and be ready for the state inspection,” said Diane Lyda, director of surgical services at HRMC. “We reviewed our policies to make sure they were up-to-date, checked our medication carts every day, and triple locked the doors to the operating room area. We are very, very secure.”

By the end of June, the number of surgeries had increased to 290, compared to 372 in June 2007, Lyda said.

That is not counting outpatient services, such as colonoscopies, and miscellaneous procedures, such as heart catheters and labor epidurals. Due to medical advances, the majority of surgeries, or about 50 to 70 percent, at HRMC are performed on an outpatient, same-day basis.

July’s numbers continued to steadily increase, with more than 300 surgeries performed, which is about 75 percent of the number of surgeries performed in July 2007, Lyda said. HRMC has 17 surgeons, several who had to secure operating privileges at nearby hospitals in order to maintain their practices and keep up with the need of patients.

“It certainly was difficult leaving Haywood Regional and going to other hospitals. However, we were grateful to those hospitals for helping us get our privileges so quickly,” said Dr. Al Mina.

During the termination period, surgeons were forced to seek operating privileges at nearby hospitals and many people postponed surgeries that were not urgent. Returning to HRMC was a blessing, he said.

“It is good to operate in an environment you have learned to trust and which you are familiar with,” Mina said. “It’s certainly good to be back. The doctors are glad and the patients are glad. Morale is up and the volume of surgeries is picking up.

“I’m excited for the future of Haywood Regional Medical Center. I hope we can continue to deliver great, quality care with the latest advancements close to home,” Mina said.

One of the patients who has had the benefit of Mina’s talented surgical skills is Terry Reeves, 65, of the Big Sandy Mush community in Leicester, just over the mountain from Canton.

Reeves, who only recently submitted to his first ever colonoscopy, was referred to Dr. Mina by Dr. Filiberto Colon, a gastroenterologist on staff at Haywood Regional Medical Center, after the diagnostic test revealed an early stage of colon cancer. Using minimally invasive laparoscopic, Mina performed the surgery through small incisions as compared to larger incisions needed in traditional surgical procedure.

The key element in laparoscopic surgery is the use of a laparoscope: a telescopic rod lens system, that is usually connected to a video camera. Also attached is a fiber optic cable system connected to a light source to illuminate the operative field.

On July 24, Mina removed 13 lymph nodes and was able to completely remove Reeves’ cancerous areas.

“I was very lucky. But, if I had scheduled the colonoscopy when my wife wanted me to, the cancer could probably have been detected earlier or I could have avoided the cancer altogether,” Reeves said.

The surgery went great though, Reeves said, and he was completely satisfied with the care he received from Mina and the clinical staff at Haywood Regional.

“I had very little pain. The staff is professional, yet took a personal interest in me,” Reeves said.

“Haywood Regional is an all-around great hospital. I’m glad to see it coming back. The location is ideal and the surrounding view is very conducive to healing,” he said.

The surgical services staff wants to do everything they can to not only preserve that confidence, but to implement improvements that will provide the best outcome for patients, she said. One way they are doing that is by following the Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP), a national quality partnership of organizations focused on improving surgical care by significantly reducing surgical complications.

Doctors and nurses adhere to surgical care improvement advances, including administering antibiotics in a way that lowers the chance of getting an infection after surgery; clipping hair at the surgery site rather than using a razor, which have a risk of leaving small cuts and thus causing infection. Another way is to keep the patients warm during surgery.

“As a rule, we have heard positive comments from our patients, who continue to express confidence in our hospital,” Lyda said.

The surgical center staff at Haywood Regional Medical Center include, front row, from left, Becky Robinson, Tina Hensley and Sandy Porrey; center, Warren Patton, John Francoeur, Janice Inman, Loren Craig, Joy Gray and Kimberly Buckner; in back, Mike Adams.